Dayana Mendoza

On July 13, 2008, in front of nearly one billion viewers worldwide, Dayana Mendoza's life changed forever when she was crowned Miss Universe 2008 in Nha Trang, Vietnam. Through the Miss Universe Organization, the former Miss Venezuela has continued as an advocate for increasing HIV/AIDS awareness by focusing on women's health and reproductive issues. She has forged relationships with organizations committed to research and education, including the Latino Commission on AIDS, PSI/YouthAIDS and Gay Men's Health Crisis, Global Health Council and God's Love We Deliver.

As part of her mission to raising awareness and fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS worldwide, Mendoza traveled to Managua, Nicaragua to serve as a spokesperson for Population Services International's (PSI) "Not All Men Are Created Equal" campaign. During her four-day visit to Nicaragua, she visited hospitals and mobile units where people living with HIV/AIDS are receiving treatment to get a firsthand view of how the campaign is reaching target populations.

As winner of Miss Universe in 2008, Dayana Mendoza became the national spokesperson for Latino Commission on AIDS and has continued to work for this charity well beyond her reign.